- ANGIOGRAPHY
- ANGIOPLASTY AND STENTING
- INFERIOR VENA CAVA
- TREATMENT OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS
- TREATMENT OF ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATIONS
- TREATMENT OF PERIPHERAL ANEURYSMS
Angiography (also known as arteriography) is a medical imaging technique which is used to visualise the inside of your blood vessels, particularly the arteries.
What is Angioplasty and Stenting?
The arteries supplying your head, heart, kidneys and legs may become blocked over time because of smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. These can cause a progressive hardening and occlusion of the vessels (also known as arteriosclerosis). Arteriosclerosis reduces blood flow to your organs as a result of the narrowed or obstructed arteries.
Interventional radiologists are recognised experts in vascular diseases, who can use a technique involving angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow to the brain, kidneys and legs.
What are the Endovascular Placement and Retrieval of an IVC filter?
IVC filters are metal devices which are designed to be used in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart.
A pulmonary embolus is a blockage in the main artery of a lung. IVC filters can be used to prevent or manage pulmonary emboli and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and can be temporary or permanent. The shape of an IVC filter resembles that of an umbrella, and it functions in a similar way.
What is the Endovascular Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (EVAR)?
The aorta is the largest vessel in your body and carries the blood from your heart to the rest of your organs. An aneurysm occurs if the arterial wall weakens and develops a bulge, meaning blood is flowing to the weakened area. Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are also known as ‘the silent killer’ because once they grow and rupture, there is an 80-90% risk of immediate death.
EVAR is a minimally invasive procedure in which an interventional radiologist places a covered stent (a metal mesh tube covered with fabric) into the area with the aneurysm so that blood can flow through the vessel. The stent is inserted through an artery in the patient’s groin, using X-rays to guide the stent to the aneurysm.
Endovascular Treatment of Arteriovenous Malformations
Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) refers to an abnormal connection between arteries and veins. Different types of AVMs occur in different clinical situations, including infantile haemangioma (a benign tumour made up of blood cells), and connections present at birth which are between vessels larger than capillaries (such as veins or arteries) – these are known as high-flow AVM.
The most common form of AVM is low-flow AVM, in which the abnormal connections are in an area with a low blood flow, meaning the space fills and empties slowly. This may be due to compression or gravity, a condition such as Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome or may be a combination of both these types. Another form of AVM is lymphatic malformations, though these are uncommon and may include cystic lesions (cysts, abscesses or bruising).
What is an Aneurysm?
An aneurysm is a localised bulge in an artery caused by weakening, which may be a result of atherosclerosis or an infection, or injury of the arterial wall. A peripheral aneurysm is an aneurysm which is not located in the aorta. They usually occur in the popliteal artery in your leg, though may also occur in other areas.